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XMRV Virus Doesn't Cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Study

 CFS/ME
Posted on Dec 29 2010
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XMRV Virus Doesn't Cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Study

A virus called XMRV is not the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, British scientists say.

In 2009, U.S. researchers linked the virus to the condition after finding it in blood samples. But this new study says that 2009 finding was the result of a "false positive," caused by cross contamination in the laboratory, BBC News reported.

While chronic fatigue syndrome may still be caused by a virus, it is not XMRV, according to the British team.

"Our conclusion is quite simple. XMRV is not the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome," said study leader Professor Greg Towers, a Wellcome Trust senior research fellow at University College, London, BBC News reported.

"It is vital to understand that we are not saying chronic fatigue syndrome does not have a virus cause -- we cannot answer that yet -- but we know it is not this virus causing it," he added.

The study appears in the journal Retrovirology.

Last changed: Dec 29 2010 at 9:42 PM

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